Cover and button made from a non-abrasive material

ABSTRACT

A cover and/or a button for protecting apparel from abrasion due to contact of the cover with the apparel has a top around a perimeter encircling the cover and a base positioned opposite to the top. The cover is made from silicone with a hardness within the range of 10-90 as measured on the silicone hardness Shore A scale. The top and the base connect to the perimeter to enclose an interior. The interior expands to surround the fastener. The cover compresses to reduce the distance from the perimeter to the orifice to accommodate engagement of the cover with the fastener. The cover is made from any one of a group consisting of: silicone, silicone rubber, rubber, polyurethane, plastic, one or more types of epoxy resin, or other synthetic substances.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a cover and a button. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cover and a button made from a non-abrasive material to, for example, protect fabric from deterioration.

Tops, such as shirts and/or blouses, may be worn with bottoms, such as pair of pants or a skirt. Often, the bottoms may be worn without a belt. The bottoms often have a fastener, such as a button, for example. The button may be metal, plastic or some other rigid material. The button may rub the fabric of the top during usage and/or wear. As a result, the top may form holes and/or other abrasions in the fabric from the fastener rubbing the top.

A known device addresses the issue of fabric deterioration from contact with a fastener. The device is a clip, i.e. covering the fastener on the front and rear side of the fastener, as opposed to surrounding all exposed surfaces of the fastener. See U.S. Design Pat. No. D724,487 to Dighton et al. which discloses a fastener cover that clips to a button.

A need exists for a cover made from a non-abrasive material that may surround a fastener to protect fabric from deterioration upon contact with the rigid fastener. Further, a need exists for a button to be made from a non-abrasive material to protect fabric from deterioration upon contact with the rigid fastener. Moreover, the button may be configured to insert into a buttonhole found in commonly available bottoms, such as denim jeans, for example.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a cover and button made from a non-abrasive material. More specifically, the invention relates to a flexible cover with an orifice and/or a hole perforating the rear of the cover. The hole may be expanded to engage the cover with a fastener, such as a button.

In an embodiment, an apparatus for protecting apparel from abrasion due to contact of the apparatus with a fastener is provided. The apparatus may secure the apparel on an individual wearing the apparel. In detail, the apparatus may have a cover with a top around a perimeter encircling the cover and a base positioned opposite to the top. The cover may be made from silicone with a hardness within the range of 10-90 as measured on the silicone hardness Shore A scale. The top and the base may connect to the perimeter to enclose an interior that may expand to surround the fastener. The cover may compress to reduce the distance from the perimeter to the orifice to accommodate engagement of the cover with the fastener. An orifice with a circumference may be formed in the base. The orifice may open to the interior. An edge may be formed on the circumference wherein the edge may deform to expand the orifice to engage with the fastener. The edge may contract upon engagement with the fastener to secure the cover on the fastener.

In an embodiment, a button made from silicone with a hardness within the range of 10-90 as measured on the silicone hardness Shore A scale is provided. The button may be cylindrical in shape and have a top shaped as a disk having a flat surface extending across a diameter of the disk. A bottom shaped as a disk may be parallel to the top. The bottom may have an indentation formed around a periphery of the bottom to assist in insertion into a corresponding buttonhole. The bottom may have a center contact point to attach the bottom to a fabric. A periphery may be defined on a common circumference around the top and the bottom to connect the top to the bottom. The top and the bottom may extend inward to the center contact point from the periphery.

Accordingly, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide a cover made from a non-abrasive material where the cover substantially encloses a fastener to prevent against deterioration of a fabric that contacts the fastener.

Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a button made from a non-abrasive material wherein the button is generally adapted to insert into a corresponding buttonhole on bottoms, such as a pair of jeans, to secure the waistband of the jeans without contributing to the deterioration of fabric that contacts the button.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide cover with an interior that expands to surround the fastener wherein the cover compresses to reduce the distance from the perimeter to the orifice to accommodate engagement of the cover with the fastener.

A further advantage of the present invention is to provide a cover made from a non-abrasive material where the cover does not cause and/or assist in causing the formation of holes in a fabric that has come into contact with the cover.

A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a cover made from a non-abrasive material wherein the cover has an orifice that may expand to accommodate the enclosure of a fastener by the cover.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other purposes, features and aspects of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments, given by way of illustration and not limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the apparatus for protecting apparel from abrasion with a fastener in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the apparatus for protecting apparel from abrasion with a fastener being applied to the fastener in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of the apparatus for protecting apparel from abrasion with a fastener, once applied to the fastener, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view taken along line of FIG. 3 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view taken along line of FIG. 3 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of an embodiment illustrates a front view of the apparatus for protecting apparel from abrasion with a fastener in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a rear view of an embodiment illustrates a front view of the apparatus for protecting apparel from abrasion with a fastener in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a button made from a non-abrasive material and a pair of pants configured to receive the button in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention generally relates to a cover and button made from a non-abrasive material. More specifically, the invention relates to a flexible cover with an orifice and/or a hole perforating the rear of the cover, where the hole may be expanded to engage the cover with a fastener, such as a button.

Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a protective covering, flexible sheath and/or cover 18 for protecting apparel from abrasion with a fastener 10, such as a denim jeans button, is shown. In an embodiment, the cover 18 may be generally formed as a flat cylinder with a circular cross-section. Also as shown in FIG. 4, the cover may have a top surface 44 and a bottom surface 46 of the cover 18 that may be positioned generally opposite to the top surface 44. In an embodiment, a peripheral surface 48 may encircle the cover 18 to connect the top surface 44 to the bottom surface 26, as shown in FIG. 2, for example. A hole and/or or an orifice 28, as shown in FIG. 2, may be formed in the bottom surface 26 of the cover 18 to assist the cover 18 to expand and/or pulled over the fastener 18 to substantially enclose and/or to cover the fastener 18 as shown in FIG. 3, for example.

In detail, in an embodiment, the cover 18 may be fabricated and/or made from at least one material selected from a group including: silicone, silicone rubber, rubber, polyurethane, plastic, epoxy resin, and/or any other substance featuring a non-abrasive coating. Furthermore, in an embodiment, silicone may be selected as a material for the cover 18. The silicone has a hardness within the range of 10-90, as measured on the silicone hardness Shore A scale and/or Shore A method. Specifically, in an embodiment, the cover 18 may be fabricated from “Silicone 40 Shore A.”

Generally, silicone has a relatively high shear and/or tear strength and may be resistant to deformation due to low or high temperature, relative to an ambient temperature. Moreover, silicone may be flame resistant and/or retardant and relatively durable in various weather conditions. In a consumer setting, silicone applications for the cover 18 may allow the cover 18 to withstand the extreme temperature, airflow, and/or other fluid variance found within a typical washing machine and dryer, for example. Thus, the cover 18 may be applied to and/or installed on the fastener 10 and subsequently left on the fastener 10 even prior to washing and drying, without concern of the cover 18 disintegrating during the process.

In an embodiment, the cover 18 may be formed from silicone in combination with one or more other desirable non-abrasive materials, such as rubber and/or button tack. Also, in an embodiment, the cover 18 may be configured to enclose a button and/or fastener 10 made from a non-abrasive material, i.e. from the same and/or a material similar to the cover 18. In detail, the fastener 10 may be constructed from a flexible material such as silicone, rubber and/or button tack and may be further protected and/or surrounded by the cover 18 to prevent potential pitting resulting from the flexible fastener 10 and a top, for example.

Moreover, silicone, and materials providing mechanical and/or chemical properties similar to silicone, may be used to form the cover 18 for their non-abrasive qualities, especially upon contact with fabric and/or apparel, for example. In detail, the cover 18, when made from silicone, may cover the fastener 10 to prevent the fastener 10 from contacting and/or tearing, gouging, pitting, and/or otherwise contributing to the unwanted rapid deterioration of fabric that the fastener 10 contacts during normal usage, i.e., that encountered in typical wear-and-tear.

Turning now to FIG. 2, like elements are shown by like reference numerals. One or more fingers 12 may be used with a thumb 14 of a user (not shown in the FIGS.) to grasp the cover 18 and/or to position the cover 18, as shown in FIG. 2, to engage a leading edge 34, as shown in FIG. 5, with the fastener 10 to initiate extending the cover 18 to substantially cover the fastener 10 as shown in FIG. 3, for example.

In an embodiment, the cover 18 may be pulled in a uniform direction A opposite to the initial engagement and/or contact point of the leading edge 34 against the fastener 10 such that the cover 18 may be pulled over the fastener 10. Subsequently, the cover 18, formed from a pliable material such as silicone as described above, may deform and/or snap-back to its original shape, thus tightly and/or snugly conform and/or adhere to the fastener without shifting and/or sliding after substantially returning to its original shape, as shown in FIG. 3. After mounting and/or attachment of the cover 18, the fastener 10 surrounded by the cover 18 may be inserted into a buttonhole 20 that may be located on a pair of denim jeans 26, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to secure one side of the pair of denim jeans 26 to another side of the pair of denim jeans 26 as may be desirable to secure bottoms, such as jeans and/or skirt with a button-type enclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, the cover 18 may be pulled over the fastener 10 and allowed to snap-back to an original position to fit snugly around the fastener 10. Enclosure of the fastener 10 by the cover 18 may effectively prevent the fastener 10, which may be made from a rigid material, such as steel, copper, and/or the like, from coming into contact with the fabric of a top, such as a sweater, sweatshirt, shirt, polo shirt, t-shirt, and/or a blouse, for example. As described earlier, a rigid item, such as the fastener 10, may pit the fabric to form small, undesirable holes in the fabric over time and/or usage, and thus contribute to the premature deterioration of the fabric as a whole.

Moreover, holes may be caused by friction and/or contact against the fastener 10. Further, in an embodiment, the orifice 28 may expand to catch and/or hook against the fastener 10 to allow the cover 18 to flexibly stretch and/or pull over the fastener 10. The orifice 28 with the cover 18, may contract to an original position to wrap around the fastener, as shown in FIG. 3.

The holes may be observed more clearly when formed in a fabric, for example. Fabric may be generally defined in a textile-related context as a cloth, typically produced by weaving and/or knitting together several textile fibers. As a by-product of the knitting, each fiber, of the several fibers originally knitted together, may unravel due to expected wear-and-tear over time. Such a process of deterioration of the fabric may be expected by the buyer, and thus planned for, in that the buyer may replace the fabric top upon the end of its useful life. However, pitting, as caused by rapid and/or routine friction of the fastener 10, typically constructed of a rigid substance to permit for appropriate fastening through a buttonhole 20 as shown in FIG. 2, for example, may cause individual fibers of the fabric to unravel from one another, that may lead to the formation of holes. The holes may expand over time since each hole may lack intermittent fibers necessary to provide structural reinforcement to the fabric, i.e., to hold the fabric together, thus allowing the fabric to loosen and/or ultimately unravel over time.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a side view taken along line III-III of FIG. 3 of the cover 18 is shown illustrating dimensions of the cover 18. In an embodiment, the cover 18 may have an inside width 32 a within the range of 1 to 1.5 mm, as shown in FIG. 4, and an outside width 32 b within the range of 2 mm to 3 mm as shown in FIG. 5, as defined as the distance from the top surface of the cover 44 to the bottom surface of the cover 46.

Moreover the leading edge 34 of the cover 18 may be pulled against the fastener 10 to catch, and/or otherwise adhere to a surface (not shown in the FIGs.) of the fastener 10 to permit the cover 18 stretch across the fastener 10 to cover the fastener 10, and then released to snap back into a natural and/or original position, covering the surfaces that may otherwise be exposed, as shown in FIG. 3 for example.

Furthermore, in an embodiment, the leading edge 34 may circle the bottom surface 46 of the cover 18 to form the orifice 28 as shown in FIG. 7. The distance from an outer periphery 60, shown in FIG. 5, of the cover 18 inwards toward the orifice 28 may be defined as a distance from the periphery of the cover to the orifice 36 of 5 mm-6 mm. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the distance across the interior of the cover 44 may be set at an inner diameter 38 with length of 17 mm. The length of 17 mm for the cover inner diameter may be suited to conform to button-type fasteners commonly used in clothing, such as jeans, for example.

Additionally, in an embodiment, an outer diameter 40, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, of 19 mm may be set to accommodate button-type fasteners. In an embodiment, the cover 18 may be made with other outer diameters, namely in the 14 mm, 20 mm, and/or 25 mm lengths and/or sizes. The thickness of the cover 18 may be generally at or about 1 mm. Moreover, the orifice 28 may be sized to have an orifice diameter 42 of 7 mm, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7.

Referring to FIG. 5, additional dimensional details of a cross-sectional view of the cover 18 are shown. In detail, in an embodiment, the cover 18 may have the following dimensions:

Inner Diameter 38—17 mm

Outer Diameter 40—19 mm

Inside Width 32 a—1.5 mm

Outside Width 32 b—3 mm

Orifice Diameter 42—7 mm

Distance from the Periphery of the Cover to the Orifice 36—5 mm, 6 mm

Thickness—1 mm

Referring generally to that shown by FIGS. 6 and 7, a front view and a rear view of the cover 18 are shown, respectively. In detail, in an embodiment, and as described above, the cover 18 may have an outer diameter 40 of 19 mm, and an inner diameter 38 of 17 mm (not shown in FIG. 7). Moreover, in an embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the cover 18 may have the distance from the periphery 60 of the cover 18 to the orifice 36 of 6 mm, and the orifice diameter 42 of 7 mm.

Referring to FIG. 8, in an embodiment, a pair of pants 56 is shown to illustrate various uses and/or implementations of the above-described embodiments. For instance, the pants 56 may be pulled upwards in a direction 52 as shown in FIG. 8. Further, in an embodiment, the pants 56 may have a button 50 made from a non-abrasive material. The button 50 may have a top 62 generally defined as a flat surface and a bottom 64 (not shown in the FIGS.) positioned opposite to and facing the top 62.

In detail, the bottom may attach to a fabric, such as the pants 56, for example. A periphery 60 of the button 50 may be defined on a circumference around the top 62 and the bottom 64. Moreover, the periphery 60 of the button 50 may be configured to accommodate insertion of the button 50 into a corresponding buttonhole, such as buttonhole 20 as shown in FIG. 2, for example, on the pants 56. Also, the top 62 and the bottom 64 of the button 50 may extend from the periphery 60. Moreover, the periphery 60 of the button 50 may assist in the insertion of the button 50 into the buttonhole 20.

In an embodiment, the button may be made from that selected from a group consisting of: silicone, silicone rubber, rubber, polyurethane, plastic, one or more types of epoxy resin, and other synthetic substances with a non-abrasive coating.

Moreover, in an embodiment, the pants 56 as shown in FIG. 8 may be fastened by the button 50. The pants 56 may have a buttonhole 66 on a waistband 64 on the pants 56. The button 50 may attach to the waistband 64 on the pants 56 and may deform, i.e., by initially stretching and later returning to an original shape, to accommodate entry into the buttonhole 20 to secure the waistband. A fly 54 may be configured to lay flat upon insertion of the button 50 into the buttonhole 66 to secure the waistband of the pants 56.

Furthermore, the pants 56 may have a contact point (not shown in the FIGS.) configured to receive the button 50 on the waistband 64 of the pants. The button 50 may attach to the contact point. In an embodiment, the pants 56 may have a pleat 58 that may lay flat upon successful insertion of the button 50 into the buttonhole 20, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, to secure the waistband of the pants 56.

Although exemplary systems and methods are described in language specific to the structural features and/or methodological acts, the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claimed systems, methods and structures. 

I claim:
 1. An apparatus for protecting apparel from abrasion due to contact of the apparatus with a fastener and for securing the apparel on an individual wearing the apparel, the apparatus comprising: a cover with a top around a perimeter encircling the cover and a base positioned opposite to the top wherein the cover is made from silicone with a hardness within the range of 10-90 as measured on the silicone hardness Shore A scale and further wherein the top and the base connect to the perimeter to enclose an interior wherein the interior expands to surround the fastener and further wherein the cover compresses to reduce the distance from the perimeter to the orifice to accommodate engagement of the cover with the fastener; an orifice with a circumference wherein the orifice is formed in the base and further wherein the orifice opens to the interior; and an edge formed on the circumference wherein the edge deforms to expand the orifice to engage with the fastener and further wherein the edge contracts upon engagement with the fastener to secure the cover on the fastener.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an inner diameter defined as a maximum distance across the cover in the interior of the cover.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an outer diameter defined as a maximum distance across the top of the cover.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an inside width defined in the interior as a distance from the base to the top.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an outside width defined as the distance from an outer-facing surface of the base to an outer-facing surface of the top.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is made from any one of a group consisting of: silicone, silicone rubber, rubber, polyurethane, plastic, one or more types of epoxy resin, or other synthetic substances.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is adapted to enclose a button with a diameter in range of of 14 mm-25 mm.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover prevents the fastener from forming holes in a fabric contacts the fastener.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the perimeter accommodates insertion of the cover into a buttonhole corresponding to the fastener.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover may engage with a fastener attached to a pair or pants.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is formed from silicone that is flame resistant.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is formed from silicone that resists deformation.
 13. A button made from silicone with a hardness within the range of 10-90 as measured on the silicone hardness Shore A scale wherein the button is cylindrical in shape, the button comprising: a top shaped as a disk having a flat surface extending across a diameter of the disk; a bottom shaped as a disk parallel to the top wherein the bottom has an indentation formed around a periphery of the bottom to assist in insertion into a corresponding buttonhole and further wherein the bottom has a center contact point to attach the bottom to a fabric; and a periphery defined on a common circumference around the top and the bottom to connect the top to the bottom wherein the top and the bottom extend inward to the center contact point from the periphery.
 14. The button of claim 13 further comprising: a depth of the periphery defined as a distance from the top to the bottom.
 15. The button of claim 13 wherein the button is made from any one of a group consisting of: silicone, silicone rubber, rubber, polyurethane, plastic, one or more types of epoxy resin, or other synthetic substances.
 16. The button of claim 13 wherein the button attaches to the waistband on a pair of pants and deforms by stretching to accommodate entry into the buttonhole to secure the waistband.
 17. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising: a contact point on a pair of pants wherein the contact point attaches to the button.
 18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the button prevents the formation of holes in the fabric that contacts the button.
 19. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising: a pleat on the fabric wherein the pleat lays flat upon insertion of the button into the buttonhole. 